There is an easier way: pressure washers. A pressure washer uses velocity and pressure to spray water out of a nozzle at an extremely high rate. This makes cleaning things like boats, gutters, outdoor furniture, cars and lawn mowers fast and easy.

Consider the job of cleaning your deck. I don’t mean just spraying off some dirt. I mean serious cleaning, like when the wood on your deck turns grayish brown after a season. A pressure washer blasts the brown, dirty look away and in a short time your deck looks fresh and new again.

Another handy use is for trash cans. I’m not kidding when I say I have the worst smelling trash can on the block. In the past, I filled the can with soapy water, emptied it and scrubbed the sides with a brush, only to have the funky smell return when the can dried. Turns out I never needed to get that close to a trash can.

This is especially true since I started using the Kärcher K3 Follow Me, which has a detergent tank attached. I just fill the tank with soap, turn on the pressure washer and blast the dirt and smell away—from afar.

This top-notch equipment was designed for regular people to use with confidence. Because it’s electric, all you have to do is plug it in. It’s easier, and less expensive to use and maintain than a gas pressure washer, and there’s no stopping in the middle of a job to fill up a gas can. It makes big jobs small, complex jobs easy and—dare I say it—maybe a little fun, too.

Key features include:

Portability: Its four sturdy wheels let it follow users over grass, gravel and uneven terrain (hence the “Follow Me”) without tipping over.

Weight: It’s only 16.3 pounds—more than 10 pounds lighter than its closest competitors. Let’s be frank, the weight of the machine automatically limits the number of people who can use it effectively. Who wants to lug around a heavy appliance when he or she is already working outside, hot and tired? Not I.

Power: Fortunately, the machine has not compromised its power for convenience. A durable N-Cor pump puts out 1,800 PSI through patented nozzles that blasts with 35 times the pressure of a garden hose, while using up to 80 percent less water than a garden hose.

For tough jobs, the included DirtBlaster wand increases the effective pressure by up to 50 percent, while the induced Vario Power Spray wand is for jobs requiring a more delicate touch, such as cleaning a car and outdoor furniture.

Versatility: There’s an on-board detergent tank and a Quick Connect System on all hoses that makes set up fast and easy for the user. Simply push and click hoses into place.

Available accessories include a Deck and Driveway Cleaner and an extension wand.